From Affective Trans-Species Ethics to Wartime Public Mobilization: Moral Vegetarianism in Republican China (1912-1949).

The article focuses on the development and challenges of "moral vegetarianism" in Republican China (1912-1949), a movement rooted in ethical concerns about animal consumption rather than health or religious motivations. It examines how this form of vegetarianism emerged amidst historical contexts of globalization, secularization, and war, highlighting the influence of Western thought and local cultural traditions. The study also addresses the decline of moral vegetarianism during the 1930s and 1940s, particularly due to wartime "vegetarian campaigns" that reframed vegetarianism as a civic duty and economic strategy, distancing it from its ethical roots and emphasizing its role in public mobilization. Ultimately, the article illustrates the complex interplay between moral vegetarianism and the socio-political landscape of modern China. [Extracted from the article]